This first video can also be found under the “Everything Drone Related” section:
Live from Morton County Sheriff Department:
“We’re relying on this process and the law and courts to protect us: we the people, we are the citizens here. As a tribal member I have dual citizenship and they did recognize that. Indian and civil law is crossing over in some ways.” ~ Myron Dewey, Digital Smoke Signals
Dewey broadcasts live from the Morton County Sheriffs/Mandan Police Department (they share a single headquarters) alongside two “intellectual warriors” – lawyers who are advising him, Jim Fennerty from Chicago and Angela Bibens from Colorado, to retrieve his drone which was confiscated and to file a criminal complaint regarding the theft of his drone on October 8, 2016. The complaint is also in regard to a helicopter that looks like a police helicopter that was violating the 100-foot flyover space.
Lead Investigator of Morton County Sheriff’s Department, Captain Jay Gruebele, comes to meet them & tells them immediately they won’t be getting the drone back today: “Our police department is applying for a search warrant to see the SD card in it.“
Dewey: “We were told on video that he had a search warrant to go into the video and retrieve the drone from the vehicle … That officer’s name was Jonathan Mall.” Dewey explains the officer didn’t identify himself, but the paperwork does identify the officer who took the drone as “badge #54“.
Dewey asks for the drone back if the PD keeps the memory card but the captain informs them that this is a decision up to the State’s attorney and that he has no idea what the time frame on that would be, but that “In any case, you won’t be getting the drone back today.“
Dewey informs the Captain that in that case they’ll be filing charges for theft and “We have a visual of aircraft violating AFA rules going beyond its 100 foot mark“.
Captain Gruebele responds: “It’s not a police helicopter, we don’t own a police helicopter. We don’t rent one either.“
Dewey files the complaint of theft with Captain Gruebele, & reports that that he and two family members were being followed by police officers as they were driving, & that they voluntarily pulled over & asked if the officers needed anything. The police asked for IDs & registration which the party declined since this wasn’t a stop. Then other police officers pulled over, called Dewey by his name, and told them they had a warrant to inspect the vehicle and take the drone. They wouldn’t identify themselves or prove a warrant. About 7 police cars with 14 officers blocked off every corner and exit. They had all covered their badge numbers and wouldn’t identify themselves so Dewey didn’t know if they were DAPL security or not.
Myron: “They went into the vehicle with no consent, so they stole the equipment. Jonathan Mall stole the equipment.“
What was reported by Dewey to have been stolen includes: a Phantom 4 Drone in pristine condition- brand new. It had three battery packs, a few cords, the drone itself with SD card, and was fully connected with the remote, & was in the carrying case. The estimated value is $2000 and a 64 G SD card.
Dewey informs the officer that he’s a licensed drone operator, & the officer argues that if he was flying it above someone else- there’s a problem. Dewey maintains that his property is stolen. The captain says he is going to draw up the report and send it to the State Attorney.
Dewey shows the tail number: N283BH, and urges the FB Live audience to look up the number (registered to ABC Helicopters, inc., President John Hare). He says there are several of these helicopters, & once he gets tail numbers he’ll file reports for each of them.
When they finish the report, Dewey asks for the officer’s information: name, phone number, badge number. He also wants the officer to clarify the last officer’s written identification who refused to clarify it, but instead of answering, the officer told Dewey “not to loiter”. He identifies the number on the paperwork as “59.”
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